UN to query Australia on possible human rights breaches

PARTS of Australia's immigration and indigenous policies have been named potential human rights violations by the United Nations.

The UN also has concerns about Australia's anti-terror laws and will ask the Federal Government to explain how it is ensuring they don't contravene international law.

The listing of potential international law breaches comes as the UN Human Rights Committee prepares to hold a review into Australia's human rights record in New York over the next fortnight.

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The UN panel has made particular note of the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act for the indigenous intervention in the Northern Territory and whether there is any plan to close the Christmas Island detention centre, which has recently been reactivated.

The Government's preliminary response to the UN's concerns said asylum seekers detained on Christmas Island now had access to legal rights and their visa application would be processed within 90 days.

The Government has also defended its anti-terror laws, saying there was sufficient supervision to ensure human rights conventions were met.

Lawyers from the Melbourne-based Human Rights Law Resource Centre flew to New York yesterday and will meet UN officials on Monday for a formal briefing.

One of the lawyers, Ben Schokman, told The Age that he would present concerns in eight areas of government policy.

Mr Schokman said the Christmas Island detention centre and the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act were likely to be the subject of criticism by the UN when the report was handed down at the end of March.

"But we will get a better picture of where the UN is likely to really criticise Australia's human rights record after Monday because they will be asking us questions in those areas," Mr Schokman said.

The Government will send members of the Attorney-General's Department to present its case, but Attorney-General Robert McClelland will not attend.

Mr Schokman said former Howard government attorney-general Philip Ruddock went over for the review of the racial discrimination tribunal.

"That didn't go so well, so ever since they haven't sent ministers."

Government officials will brief the UN in two meetings on March 23 and 24 in what has been called a "constructive dialogue".

As a signatory to the UN's International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Australia's human rights record is reviewed every four years.